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Why Local Matters

08 September 2010

Is this your kind of vacation?

There are endless vacation options for today's savvy tourists but the one I am asking you about in this post is a Bed and Breakfast vacation. Have you ever experienced the type of lodging where you actually just feel like a guest in someone's home, rather than a large impersonal chain hotel? As luxurious and special as some B&Bs can be, I personally don't think they are for everyone. Large families with children will probably not feel comfortable in such a place, nor do many B&Bs provide the proper accommodations for such families. Bed & Breakfasts, as well as some small boutique hotels and Country Inns, are reserved more for the intimate traveler such as the romantic couple.

I personally was able to experience a stay in a lovely romantic B&B called The Darley Manor Inn located in Wilmington, DE. as a gift from my grandparents on my wedding night. It was very quiet and exquisitely decorated and I surely felt like I was a friend of the family as the Inn Keepers were waiting up for us and excited to congratulate us on our recent nuptuals. The strange part was that we got married on a Tuesday, so the Inn was empty that night except for us. We were the main attraction and got lots of attention, maybe even too much attention. Breakfast was a little uncomfortable since we were the only guests at a very large family sized table with many people waiting on us and asking us questions and trying to be personable and polite. As much as I appreciated their hospitality (and awesome breakfast) and would definitely stay there again, I prefer not to be the center of attention.

Next time I think I would like to try a larger scale B&B, where we will be able to enjoy the home cooking and the hospitality, but also be able to blend in and possibly mingle with some of the other guests. I just happen to have my eye on a few in the Napa Valley Wine Country up in northern California. My savvy sis-in-law lives in St. Helena so I will be using that as an excuse to try these fancy places when we visit her. One of the ones I have my eye on is The Wine Country Inn where they offer full buffet breakfast, afternoon wine and appetizers, luxury honeymoon cottages, spa services, pool and jacuzzi, wine tours and a shuttle to local wineries. This is my kind of vacation!

For a more intimate setting, I would also like to try The Glass Mountain Inn which is more of a homestyle environment and nestled in a secluded wooded area that is very close to town even though you feel like you are very far away in your own little paradise. Activities include biking, hiking, horseback riding, golfing and birdwatching or just lying around while you recover from the two course gourmet breakfast.

So, for the more intimate savvy tourist, let me suggest trying a Bed and Breakfast vacation for you and your special someone. If you already have a B&B that you are crazy about, please write in and share with all of my savvy readers.

Now is a good time to plan your next B&B vacation or possibly give one as a gift.

We love to stay in Bed and Breakfast when we travel. The hospitality is different from that of a hotel, very family and sincere. And best of all, B&B can be cheaper than staying in hotel and the food is good!

You made Bed and Breakfast sound so great to stay during a family I will try to consider it one time on our family travel. My family just love to try and visit something new and special so I am sure it would be a great idea to try the hospitality of a home style accommodation like the Bed and Breakfast.